Water volume control for water closet



Nov. 7, 1967 A. M. DYER 3,350,723

WATER VOLUME CONTROL FOR WATER CLOSET Filed April 27, 1965 INVENTOR.APT/ UR M. .DYEP BY United States Patent 3,350,723 WATER VOLUME CONTROLFOR WATER CLOSET Arthur M. Dyer, 423 N. Graves, El Cajon, Calif.

Filed Apr. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 451,221 2 Claims. (Cl. 4--57) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a water closet tank andthe mechanism for controlling the flow of water from the tank.

Water closet tanks are provided with a drain opening having a valve seatabout the opening. A float valve, normally held in place by waterpressure thereabove, prevents the escape of water through the drain.However, when the float valve is lifted off the seat a suflicientdistance, far enough to prevent the outgoing water from drawing thevalve downwardly, it will rise to the surface of the water and afterrising to the surface, it falls with the surface as the Water recedes inthe tank. And then when the level of the water recedes to adjacent thebottom of the tank, the valve is resisted and the weight of the waterthereabove holds the valve on its seat.

In practicing the present invention an element is disposed above andconnected with the valve. This element has a specific gravity slightlyabove that of the water which will be referred to at times as having agravity slightly above unity. The value of buoyancy of the float valveis substantially equal to that which is necessary to buoy itself and theelement in the water. When the bottom of the float valve approaches thevalve seat, the force of the outgoing water draws the valve upon itsseat. At this time, the weight of the water above the valve and that ofthe element is suflicient to maintain the valve on its seat.

Preferably the aforesaid element is in the form of an open top vessel.

Suitable means is provided for guiding the valve toward its seat as thewater recedes in the tank. In the embodiment illustrated, the elementwhich is disposed above the float valve is guided by a stationary guidein the tank, as for example one of the vertical pipes in the tank.

Other features and the advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of one of the standard watercloset tanks, showing the improved invention therein; however, the waterinlet valve and the float control have not been shown since suchelements are standard and play no part in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the improved valve mechanism shown in FIG. 1,but on a larger scale, and part of the vessel is shown in section; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the water closet tank is shownat 20 having two upright pipes eX- tending therein and shown at 22 and24. One of these pipes is an inlet pipe for water and the other is anoverflow pipe for water. The valve for controlling the inlet of waterand the float for controlling the inlet valve have been omitted sincesuch are standard parts and form no part of the present invention. Thebottom of the tank is provided with a drain pipe 26 which opens into thebottom of the tank and this opening is surrounded by a valve, generallyindicated at 28. A float type valve 30 secured to the bottom of a rod32, controls the flow of water from the tank through the drain pipe 26.The top of this rod 32 is provided with a hook 34, which in turn isconnected by a chain 36. The upper end of this chain 36 is connected toa lever 38 which is pivotally mounted on a pivot 40 and is actuated by alever 42. By pushing downwardly upon the lever 42, the valve 30 will belifted from its seat 28.

Valve 30 is a part of a valve mechanism 44, which mechanism alsoincludes an element, in the form of an open top vessel 46. This vesselis threaded onto the rod 32 and held in adjusted position by a nut 48.The element 46 also includes a sleeve 50, having a vertically extendingpassage therethrough, indicated at 51 in FIG. 3. This passage receivesthe pipe 24 whereby the pipe 24 provides a vertical guide for the valvemechanism 44. The element 46 also includes an arm 52 which is utilizedfor limiting swinging movement of the valve mechanism 44, since it isadapted to engage the inside front wall of the tank if the valvemechanism 44 moves in a counterclockwise direction and is adapted toengage the pipe 22 in the event that the valve mechanism 44 tends toswing in a clockwise direction.

Valve 30 is of the standard type, usually formed of a flexible andresilient rubber. The element 46 is formed of a suitable plastic havinga specific gravity slightly above unity, i.e., that in itself when theentire element 46 is emerged in water, it is not buoyant. However, thebuoyancy of the rubber ball type valve 30 is of a value substantiallyequal to that necessary to buoy itself, the rod 32 and the element 46 inwater and thereby normally urges the valve mechanism upwardly wherebythe upper extreme portion of the vessel 46 is slightly above the waterlevel.

The normal water level is indicated at 54 in FIG. 1. At this time thevalve assembly is in the position shown in FIG. 1 whereby the ball valve30 is on its seat 28. When the lever 38 is moved in a counterclockwisedirection by the handle 42, the ball valve 30 is lifted high enough sothat it is not influenced by the force of the water flowing thereaboutand into the drain pipe 26, and consequently, since its buoyancy issufiicient to raise the entire valve mechanism upwardly, the valvemechanism will be buoyed upwardly to a position in which the extremeupper part of the vessel 46 extends slightly above the water level. Asthe water recedes, the valve mechanism recedes therewith until the ballvalve 30 is brought into the influence of the force of the water flowingout of the drain pipe at which time, the bottom of the ball valve 30will close the seat 28 and arrest the flow of water through the drainpipe 26. At this time, the combined weight of the water above the ballvalve and that of the rod 32 and the vessel or element 46 is sufficientto retain the valve upon its seat. The height of the water in the tank,at the time that the valve 30 closes upon the seat 28 is controlled bythe relative position of the vessel 46 with respect to the valve seatingsurface of the ball valve 30. And this height can be adjusted by thethreaded relationship between the rod 32 and the vessel 46. Thus, it isapparent that the flow of water from the tank is cut off as the waterlevel recedes to the height of the mass, that is, to the height of thevessel 46, at which point the displacement buoyancy of the mass is lostand a downward force equal to the weight of the mass in air is exertedon the tank bulb. The tank bulb seals quickly and positively underpressure. The flow is cut oil? at what would otherwise have been itsapproximate midpoint in time for emptying the tank although somewhatmore than 50% of the water Will have drained from the tank. Refilling ofthe tank is normal except that a shorter time is required since lesswater has been used.

Several advantages accrue from the use of the present invention. Aspreviously stated, less water is used, in that less water is drainedfrom the tank and, through the shortened drain time, less refill wateris added to the flow during draining. Approximately 40% to 50% of thewater is conserved compared tot he conventional system.

Cleaning action is more complete since the flow is cut ofi before theenergy level is reached at the bottom of the tank, that is, there isless tendency to develop whirl pooling and consequent failure to ingestbuoyant material, and siphoning is more complete.

There is less likelihood of a failure of the tank bulb to seat and sealsince the sealing is done under higher pressure. No jiggling of theflush lever 38 is necessary to start the refilling portion of thiscycle. Although the noise level is unaffected, noise duration is reducedsince the time expended for outflow Water is materially reduced.

The tank bulb does not require precise alignment with the drain seatsince the outflowing water positions the ball.

A selected level is illustrated and shown at 56 indicating the level ofwater which remains in the tank at the time that the bulb or ball valve30 is seated.

Flange 53 of FIGS. 2 and 3 is for the purpose of preventing outrushingwater from shifting the bulb 30, that is, it maintains the bulb directlyover the drain pipe While the water is rushing out.

While the form of embodiment herein shown and described, constitutes apreferred form, it is to be understood that other forms may be adoptedfalling within the scope of the claims that follow.

I claim:

1. In a water closet, the combination of:

(A) a tank for the storage of water, said tank having a drain opening,

(1) a valve seat about the drain opening; (B) a vertically extendingpipe within the tank; (C) a mechanism floatable in water, including:

(1) an element including a sleeve surrounding the pipe, said sleeveproviding for unrestricted horizontal swinging movement of the saidmechanism about the pipe, said element also including an arm extendinghorizontally from the sleeve and engageable with parts of the interiorof the tank for limiting horizontal swinging movement of the elementabout the pipe, said sleeve providing the sole means for verticalguiding of the said mechanism,

(2) means forming a buoyant valve for closing upon said seat, said meansbeing disposed below and connected with the element, the buoyancy of themeans having a value substantially equal to that necessary to buoyitself and said element in water;

(D) and means for lifting the valve from the seat including a chainconnected with said mechanism. 2. A combination as defined in claim 1,characterized in that said element has a specific gravity slightly aboveunity.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,718,744 6/1929 Koropczyk 4572,168,742 8/1939 ONeil et al. 4-57 2,214,439 9/1940 Robertson 4563,036,313 S/l962 Jenkins 457 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A WATER CLOSET, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) A TANK FOR THE STORAGE OFWATER, SAID TANK HAVING A DRAIN OPENING, (1) A VALVE SEAT ABOUT THEDRAIN OPENING; (B) A VERTICALLY EXTENDING PIPE WITHIN THE TANK; (C) AMECHANISM FLOATABLE IN WATER INCLUDING: (1) AN ELEMENT INCLUDING ASLEEVE SURROUNDING THE PIPE, SAID SLEEVE PROVIDING FOR UNRESTRICTEDHORIZONTAL SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE SAID MECHANISM ABOUT THE PIPE, SAIDELEMENT ALSO INCLUDING AN ARM EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY FROM THE SLEEVE ANDENGAGEABLE WITH PARTS OF THE INTERIOR OF THE TANK FOR LIMITINGHORIZONTAL SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE ELEMENT ABOUT THE PIPE, SAID SLEEVEPROVIDING THE SOLE MEANS FOR VERTICAL GUIDING OF THE SAID MECHANISM, (2)MEANS FORMING A BUOYANT VALVE FOR CLOSING UPON SAID SEAT, SAID MEANSBEING DISPOSED BELOW AND CONNECTED WITH THE ELEMENT, THE BUOYANCY OF THEMEANS HAVING A VALUE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT NECESSARY TO BUOYITSELF AND SAID ELEMENT IN WATER; (D) AND MEANS FOR LIFTING THE VALVEFROM THE SEAT INCLUDING A CHAIN CONNECTED WITH SAID MECHANISM.